Insulated rail-joint.



R. B. ABBOTT.

INSULATED RAIL JOINT.

APPLIGATION FILED Alum, 191s.

1,075,278. Patented 0ct.7,1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

I? PST wi tmeaaw \A I v 430M Patented Oct. 7, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

RANSLOE .BOONE .ALBIBOTT, -:OF HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

INSULATED RAIL-JOINT.

:Specification of Lettersfatent.

Patented Get. 7, i913,

Applicatiomfiledhpril 9, 1913. SerialNo. 759,961.

To all whom 1' 25 may concern Be it known that I, 'RANsnon Boone AB- norr, a-citizen of the United States, and a resident of Harrisburg, in the county of Dauphin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Insulated Rail-Joints, of which the following is-a full, clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates to insulated rail joints to be used with electric block signaling apparatus for railroads.

It has for its object to provide effective means for connecting and insulating the ends of two rails, which means is much simpler in construction and less expensive to manufacture-and maintain than those heretofore known and used.

While seeking to simplify the construction and reduce the cost of production of such connecting and insulating means, ithas also been my aim to meet all the practical re quirements of actual service. For instance, the receivingend of each rail, that is, the end onto which the wheels of a train pass from-the preceding rail, is'the point or part of the oint which is subjected to the greatest impact and is, therefore. most apt to sag. With this in mind, I have provided for supporting this receivingend of the rail in a manner just as effective as the usual rail joint which is not insulated, thusovercoming what has been perhaps the greatest defeet in the insulated rail joints heretofore invented. At the same time, I dispense with all forms of bed plates arranged under the ends of the rails and between them and the ties, and also with the extra insulation which it is necessary to inter-pose between the rails and bed plate when the latter is employed.

Another object is to provide rail connecting and insulating means having interchangeable parts and adapted for use on. a single track railroad where the end of each rail of the joint must sometimes serve as the receiving end inasmuch as trains run in both directions on said tracks.

Further objects will appear asthe description proceeds.

The invention will first be described in connection with the accompanying drawings, which constitute. a part of this specification, and then more specifically set forth in the claims at the end of the description.

In the accompanying drawings, vin which similar reference characters are used throughout the several views to indicate the same parts: Figure l is a plan view of an insulated rail joint constructed in accord- "ance with my invention, the bolts and spikes being omitted; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line HF-Ill, of Fig. 1, showing one of the bolts; Fig.4 is across section on the line 1VIV, of Fig. 1, also showing a bolt; Fig. 5, is a plan view-of a modified form of rail joint especially adapted for single track railroad, the bolts and spikes being omitted; F ig. 6 is a side elevation of the same, and F 7 is a cross section on the line VIIVH of Fig. 5, showing one of the bolts.

Referring firstto Figs. 1, 2, 8 and at of the drawings, which show an insulated rail joint suitable for double t act: ailroads, or tracks on which there is an established line or single direction of traffic, A d the receiving rail end, and B the cue. other rail, that is, the one from which the wheels of a train pass onto the receiving end A. My connecting means consists of two plates C and D corresponding to the fish plates of an uninsulatcd rail joint. Both of these plates C and D fit bet veen th base flange and head of the receiving rail as clearly shown in Fig. l, thus serving to effectively reinforce and support the end of said rail where the greatest impact of the wheels comes. At a point near the extremity of said receiving rail, the plates C and D are offset away from the rai s, as at c and (Z, respectively, the offset portion 0 extending in the opposite direction from the offset portion (Z. Beyond said offset portions, the plates extend substantially parallel to the rails, as at c and (Z.

Fitted in the spaces between the opposite sides of the rails and the portions 0 and cl of the plates C and D, are blocks of wood or other suitable insulation E, E, preferably shaped to conform to or snugly fit said spaces, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3. The bolts F for securing the portions 0 and cl of the plates to the rail B are passed loosely through suitable passages or perforations in the blocks E and the web of the rail, and also through'holes in the plates themselves. see Fig. 3. The holes G in the plates in which the heads of the bolts are fitted are preferably elliptical to prevent said bolts fromturning when the nuts are tightened on their ends, while the holes H through which the threaded ends of the bolts are passed are preferably round, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2. Both ends of the bolts are insulated from the plates, as at f, f. The bolts K, Fig. 4, which fasten the plates to the rail A need not be insulated, but the holes L and M in said plates for the passage of the bolts are elliptical and round, respectively, see Fig. 2, like the holes G and II. The upper edges of the offset portions 0 and (Z, of the connecting plates, are recessed or cut away at 0 and d respectively, as best illustrated in Fig. 2, for the purpose of providing clearance for the flanges of car or locomotive wheels. The lower edges of said offset portions are reinforced as shown at 0 in Fig. 2, to secure a. girder effect under the ends of the rails and between adjacent ties. The extremities of the rails A'and B are separated by fiber or other suitable insulation, as shown at N in Figs. 1 and 2.

In order to support the base flanges of the portions 0 and cl of the connecting plates, metal filling blocks P are fitted in the spaces below them as shown in Fig. 3. These blocks are retained against working out of place by the spikes (not shown) which secure the plates to the ties R and which en gage suitable notches S in the base flanges of the plates and notches T in the blocks P. The notches T are shown in solid lines in Fig. 2 and in dotted lines in Fig. 3.

In the modified construction illustrated in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, the ends of both rails are designated A because either of them may be the receiving end and each actually does constitute the receiving end part of the time on a single track railroad, side track or other track where the trafiic is in both directions. The connecting plates are both designated C and are made just alike so that they are interchangeable. One end iortion of each plate its between the base flange and head of one rail while the other end portion of said plate is spaced from and substantially parallel to the other rail. Insulating blocks E, E, are fitted in the spaces between the rails and the end portions of the plates which are set away from said rails. All of the bolts F at both ends of the plates are insulated at only one end, as at G, Fig. 7. Otherwise, the modified construction is the same as that already described. in connection with Figs. 1 to 4, inelusive.

Having thus described my invention, wnat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In an insulated rail oint, the combination with the rails, of a connecting plate having a base flange corresponding to the base of one rail and an upright portion fitting below the head of said rail, the plate also having an offset portion spaced away from the other rail, insulating material in the space between said offset portion of the plate and the last mentioned rail, means for securing the plate to the rails, and a filling block below the base flange of the offset portion of the plate.

2. In an insulated rail joint, the combination with the rails, of a connecting plate having a base flange corresponding to the base of one rail and an upright portion fitting below the head of said rail, the plate also having an offset portion spaced away from the other rail, the base flange of the offset portion of the plate having notches in its edge to receive spikes for fastening to a tie, insulating material in the space between said offset portion of the plate and the last-mentioned rail, means for securing the plate to the rails, and a filling block below the base flange of the offset portion of the plate, said block having notches in its edge registering with the notches in the base flange of the plate for the purpose specified.

3. In an insulated rail joint, the combination with the rails, of a connecting plate having a portion fitted below the head of one rail, an offset portion extending away from said rail, and a portion arranged at the side of the other rail and spaced therefrom, insulating material in the space between the last-mentioned portion of the plate and the last mentioned rail, the ofl'set portion of the plate having a recess in its upper edge to permit clearance for the flanges of the wheels on rolling stock, and means for securing the plate to therails.

4. In an insulated rail joint, the combination with the rails, of a connecting plate having a portion fitted below the head of one rail,- an offset portion extending away from said rail, and a portion arranged at the side of the other rail and spaced therefrom, insulating material in the space between the last mentioned portion of the plate and the last mentioned rail the ofiset portion of the plate having a recess in its upper edge to permit clearance for the flanges of the wheels on rolling stock, and a downwardly extending reinforcing portion at its lower edge for the purpose specified, and means for securing the plate to the rails.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two attesting witnesses.

B. BOONE ABBOTT.

With esses P. S. LEWIS, M. I). WHITE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each. by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, It. 0. 

